DS 2.8: Productivity, browser and collaboration software

A technician must write a guide and add up the cost of 20 laptops. Then show a plan to the managers and draw a map of the office.

Four jobs, four tools. Picking the right one saves an hour.

Productivity software helps with everyday work. There are four main kinds.

A word processor writes documents. A spreadsheet works with numbers. Presentation software makes slides. Diagramming software draws charts and maps. A support team uses all four, for guides, costs, talks and plans.

A browser shows web pages. It also runs web apps, such as online email and the ticket system. Many tools no longer need an install: you open them in a browser.

For support, that means one more thing to check. A fault may be in the tool, or in the browser, or in its settings.

Collaboration software helps people work together. Six kinds matter. An email client reads and sends email. Conferencing software holds video meetings. VoIP makes phone calls over the internet. Instant messaging is quick chat. An online workspace holds files in one shared place. Document sharing lets many people open and edit one file.